The LA Galaxy squad, alongside head coach/sporting director Greg Vanney, met with their supporter's following their 1-0 loss to Charlotte FC to apologize for the disappointing start to the 2023 campaign.
Match day 15 featured a familiar sight for LA Galaxy fans this season: a loss without scoring a goal. The Galaxy are now last in the Western Conference table and the Supporter's Shield, with just nine points after 14 games played, an unprecedented situation for the type of club the Galaxy are known to be.
"It was a cordial conversation, to be fair," Vanney said after speaking to the supporters. "They expect more. They want more from the group. … We don’t need to go into specifics. Yes, we need to improve upon our performance today and secure the result. They want the same thing. It wasn’t heated or anything that was more. Again, we’re all on the same team. We’re all trying to achieve those things."
Midfielder Mark Delgado, who joined the club last winter and has made 49 appearances, agreed with the supporter's frustations.
"Obviously the results haven't been going our way so we're going to continue hearing it and I'm not here to say that they're (the fans) wrong. They're right," Delgado said. "Every time we step on the field, we have to be ready. Whatever that is. Whatever we're doing away from training, away from the game, we have to get ourselves ready. This is our job. If you're not fully focused then why are you doing this?"
Despite Vanney's simple game plan, the Galaxy have been unable to stick to it resulting in their shocking first half of the 2023 MLS season.
"It's a simple game. You’ve just got to play the game simple," Delgado said. "There will be moments for creativity and that will happen, but we’ve just got to be patient and a lot of times we're not patient. So they're right. The fans are right. We need to be better."
The Galaxy next game is on the road against Western Conference foes Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night. Next week, they will travel again to Salt Lake City in the next round of the U.S. Open Cup.
This article was originally published on 90min as LA Galaxy squad meet with supporters after ninth loss of season.